1 . Paralympian Anastasia Pagonis’ remarkable success story began when she lost her vision at age 14. Granted, it’s a tough age for any teen, but dealing with a life-changing disability made things even more challenging.
“It took me about eight months to regroup myself,” she told TODAY, “and then I got it in my head, ‘Okay, I’m blind. Now what am I going to do with my life?”
A Long Island native, Pagonis practically grew up in the water. She’d taken up competitive freestyle swimming just a few months prior to going totally blind. While she excelled at the sport with limited vision, an “abusive team” atmosphere prompted her to quit competition.
After months of therapy, however, the persistent teen was ready to get back in the swim-only swimming wasn’t enough for Pagonis. She wanted to compete.
Now she was faced with another dilemma. “Nobody wanted to train the blind girl,” she recalled in an interview with TEAM USA. “I ended up after about eight months finding an amazing coach who was willing to train me and actually put on blackout goggles to try to figure out a way for me to swim.”
By the age of 16, Pagonis was earning a reputation as a fierce competitor, taking two gold medals at the World Para Swimming World Series in Australia. When Pagonis realized her experiences and positive outlook might be a boon(益处) to others, she eagerly stepped up as a role model. “I want to help people the way I needed help,” Pagonis told TEAM USA. “I started doing Instagram and social media and was soon getting a bunch of replies saying, ‘Wow! You really helped me get through bad things,’ or, ‘I was getting bullied in school and you helped me get through that,’ or, ‘You let me know how much I was worth.’”
Back in the water, Pagonis was truly in her element. “It’s my happy place,” she told TODAY. “It’s the place where I feel like I don’t have a disability and I feel like that’s the only place where I feel free. When I dive in the water, it’s just me in the pool and I feel such a connection with it. Sometimes you need to take a leap of faith because if you don’t try, you don’t know. Always follow your dreams.”
1. What difficulty did Pagonis face after she quit competition?| A．She had to wear goggles. |
| B．It was hard to find her a coach |
| C．Her skills weren’t useful in darkness. |
| D．She couldn’t do the freestyle anymore. |
| A．stopped swimming for two years |
| B．improved her vision by swimming |
| C．helped many people through difficulties |
| D．devoted herself to fighting against bullies |
| A．In a very good mood | B．Full of Confusion. |
| C．Confident of winning. | D．Happy to be special. |
| A．Team spirit is vital for winning- |
| B．Role models make us who we are. |
| C．A good teacher is the key to success. |
| D．Disability does not limit one’s success. |
